Our Mother, Our Queen
by Master Solo
Summary: After the Swarm War, Jacen decided to kidnap his daughter and send her to Ossus. Fourteen years later, the Force called her back to Hapes, where Tenel Ka is dying from an incurable illness. JxTK and Hapan plots. Formatting errors corrected on Jul 14.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. The idea of a curfew belongs to **JadeMax**   
Title: Our Mother, Our Queen  
A/N: Dukat will probably enlist an army of Hapans and kill me for what I'm about to do to him. Let's thank **emeraldshadow**, who owns the plot bunny and betas the story.  
Time: TSW and beyond  
Summary: Jacen kidnapped his daughter from Hapes and fourteen years later, she returned to contest with her half-sister for the throne after Tenel Ka took ill. See plot bunny thread for details.  
Characters: See below  
Dramatis Personae  
Allana; Jedi Padawan (female human from Ossus)  
Alyssia; Princess (female human from Hapes)  
Ben Skywalker; Jedi Knight (male human from Coruscant)  
Isolder; Prince (male human from Hapes)  
Jacen Solo; Jedi Master (male human from Coruscant)  
Kala; Princess (female human from Hapes)  
Luke Skywalker; Jedi Master (male human from Tatooine)  
Nikor; student, citizen (male human from Hapes)  
Rei Ti; Jedi Knight (female human from Dathomir)   
Riko; Jed Padawan (male Twi'lek from Ryloth)  
Tenel Ka Djo; Queen Mother (female human from Hapes)  
Trisde Aleson; Lady of the Eastern Seas (female human from Hapes)  
Vin; Senator (male Mairan from Maires)  
More will be added

Jacen knew that Tenel Ka could never forgive him for what he was about to do, but there was no choice, for only Jedi would be able to adequately protect Allana's life. Besides, it would guarantee Allana the dream life that her mother had never had. With one gentle scoop, the Jedi Knight whisked his daughter away from the dangerous life of politics for a period that he hoped would last forever.

-scene change-

As Luke received the baby from Jacen, he could not help but believe that Jacen was concealing part of story. Though the child's presence was mushy, it was beginning to take the shape of Jacen's and the girl was slightly stronger than the average Jedi. It made sense that Jacen knew the girl's name because the girl was his friend's daughter, but it took more than an ordinary friend to do what Jacen did. And since the 'friend' was not… Luke dismissed the thought. If his nephew did not wish to reveal any affairs or children, then the child would remain anonymous.

-scene change-

As Tenel Ka snuck out before dawn for some morning exercise, she could not help but to think of the daughter who should have awakened her two hours ago. It had taken her years of careful plotting to create a daughter, a suitable heir with the only man she could ever allow into her private chambers. She was livid about Jacen's actions, holding a grudge against her former lover for kidnapping the child and shaming her before the other Dathomiri women, for she had promised to send Allana to her clan.

However, in order to buy her daughter a few years of happiness as a Jedi, the warrior queen had much to sacrifice. With the heir 'dead', the nobles were harping her to conceive again, and that was not an option for her. Despite the grudge, she wanted another child with Jacen, but her trick could not possibly work more than once and even if they did have another baby, that child would best be sent to Ossus too. To the nobles, having a child with one of them was a viable option, but to a Dathomiri witch who had already had a daughter with another man, it was not. By clan law, she had claimed Jacen and therefore could have no other until his death.

Tenel Ka shook her head as she treaded the secret path just outside her palace, working to regain some of the strength she had lost over her yearlong pregnancy. As long as she was the mother, the child would be Force-sensitive and sent to Ossus, no matter who the father was. In other words, even having another child was out of the question. As Tenel Ka raised her head, she felt a tug through the Force and came closer to the city than she normally would.

"Excuse me, Lady? Can you help my dad?"

Tenel Ka stopped dead in her tracks when she saw a little girl with short, white-blonde curls. Allana had hair just like that. Tenel Ka forced the thought away and snapped back to the present. That girl was Kala Gray and the tears in the child's eyes indicated that there was more to this bad situation than met the eye. Reaching into the Force, Tenel Ka confirmed that the girl was nothing but sincere and devastated.

"Yes. Lead me to him, my child."

As soon as Tenel Ka spoke, the child darted off toward a busy sector of the city. Tenel Ka knew that she could no longer take a morning workout alone on her current route anymore, but she did not care as she commed for a guard and a medical unit to meet her in the sector where the five-year-old was heading. Dukat Gray had fought under her command during the Yuuzhan Vong war with unquestioning loyalty and risked his rank as Dume'da when he insisted to both his mother and Lady AlGray, the aunt of his late wife, that they should treat Allana like their own ally. She could not forget such a loyal friend. 

"It's too late." The medic confirmed Tenel Ka's suspicions when they arrived on the scene. At first, the Queen Mother wanted to ask what happened, but the crash site told her all that she needed to know. Nobody, not even a hotshot like Dukat, could maneuver a speeder bike to avoid the out of control ship that got out of the hangars and into the city.

"Lady, thanks for being nice." The child managed as tears streaked down her face. "Do you know how to get to the sky?"

"Yes." Tenel Ka began to head for the _Rock Dragon_, but then stopped. "Where do you wish to go?"

"Those two moons up there." The girl pointed to two of the Hapan moons, which were ready to set over the horizon. "Daddy said they're the Relephon Moons. My Grandma's there. I don't want to go to her, but Daddy said I have."

"I will help you." Tenel Ka replied. One glance at Dukat and another at the girl told Tenel Ka what she needed to do in order to solve her political problems and comfort the child. Dukat had done her a favor, and by Hapan tradition, she had to return it with something of equal value. "If you do not wish to go to your grandmother, I can arrange with her to have you stay here and become a princess."

-scene change-

Fourteen years had passed since the fateful day when Kala lost her father, and now, she was on the brink of turning twenty-one. As the young woman closed the doors to her quarters, she cried. It had been a choice between two pains and she had finally chosen to leave Tenel Ka's sight when she could no longer hold back the tears. Kala could not allow for a strong Dathomiri witch like her adoptive mother to see her cry.

Why did Tenel Ka Djo have to take ill in the prime of her life? It was not uncommon for a Hapan to have a short lifespan, but Kala was neither ready to suffer a third major loss nor ready to accept Tenel Ka's crown. She had heard stories of Tenel Ka's transition into the position of Queen Mother and was certain that she was now in the same position. She had always thought that Lady… no, mother, would either clone the dead daughter or delegate powers to Kala one by one at some later time, not pile them all on a helpless, scared girl at the same time. She shook her head. Such a notion was too out of character for Tenel Ka to even consider.

As Kala silently begged for the illness to release its grip on Tenel Ka, someone knocked on the door. Why couldn't she be a Force-sensitive who knew how to heal? Kala shook her head. If the guest, one of Tenel Ka's Dathomiri friends, could do nothing, then Tenel Ka was doomed.

"Come in." The young woman finally said after she cleaned herself up. Once again, she wished that she had the Force and was able to project illusions and then scolded herself for such envy. Even though she did not have the Force, Tenel Ka still treated her like a daughter and even presented her to the Singing Mountain Clan. Whenever she complained about how hard the Jedi queen was, Tenel Ka merely said that Allana would have been treated the same way and Kala believed it.

When the aging Isolder stepped in instead of a servant, Kala knew that it was something serious. He offered, "Your mother asked me to deliver the seal to you."

"Thank you…" Kala began as she accepted a mahogany box from the old prince. She tried to call him grandfather, but failed, like every other time she attempted it. How could she not accept the father of the woman who had taken her in as her grandfather? In attempt to hide her turmoil, Kala turned away from Isolder and toward the window, which showed a setting sun and seven rising moons. As the sad, orange rays bounced off of her flawless face, she opened the box grudgingly, knowing that, nine chances out of ten, it would contain something she did not want to accept.

Kala was correct, for it was the round, crimson seal with gold trims that she never wanted in her hands. Why did Tenel Ka have to hand the regency to a totally unprepared twenty-year-old with no more experience than what she had when she took Teneniel's crown? Maybe the tendency to be forced to take the crown at a young age ran in the family, except that Tenel Ka was not her biological mother.

-scene change-

As Allana parted with her Master and retired to her quarters, she sighed. For the teen, it was just another boring mission that wasted the time that she should have spent on doing something more important. Though she never told any of the Masters, she always felt that the Force told her that she never belonged at the Temple. Allana shook the negative thoughts away, remembering that pessimism often led to the dark side. At least her Master took her before Ben Skywalker could arrive and pick his first student.

The other Temple students told her that it was an honor to study under a Skywalker, but they didn't understand. Something about each of their Force-presences made her uncomfortable, leaving her feeling as if she should have known much more. With her wonderful Master, she felt none of that; at least not until the Master decided that Allana might make a worthy member of her Dathomiri clan.

Allana hissed in frustration as she let down her long, blonde curls. She should have been, by all means, honored to be deemed worthy to become a Jai witch in the Singing Mountain Clan of Dathomir, but she felt the same discomfort around the clan leader as she did around the Skywalkers and Solos. She tried to tell herself, "Master Ti's being nice, so be grateful for once!" 

As the teen closed the door and settled into her bed, she found herself unable to sleep. She wanted more than anything to shut the distant echoes of pain and suffering out of her mind, but was not trained to do so. "Blast you for giving me this stupid empathy and sticking me with a bunch of Jedi so that I have to know how to feel the Force, whoever you are."

Just when she thought that she had fallen asleep, she heard several rushed footsteps clatter down the hallway outside her quarters. Too restless and curious, Allana hurriedly stuffed herself into a set of robes to see what was going on. Though she knew that mere apprentices should not approach the Council chamber on normal occasions, especially at nights, she could not help but to follow the footsteps there.

As the room came into sight, Allana saw the blurred reflection of a holo on the metal walls of the temple. Though it was an especially dark, Ossuan night, she could make out bits of orange and gold in the image.

"We are no longer able to hold off our enemies. Please assist my daughter and come, Masters."

"That we shall, Queen Mother." Allana recognized the voice as that of Jacen Solo's and immediately felt her dinner rising up her digestive system. Though she dared not say anything, she always had the feeling that the Skywalkers felt weird to her because she was Jacen's illegitimate daughter. There was a small chance that she was actually a child that Jaina Solo did not wish to own up to, but that was unlikely considering Jaina's jovial personality.

When all of the Jedi present, except for Jacen Solo, began to file out of the room, Allana hurriedly trotted back to her quarters, desperate not to get into trouble for snooping around at night.

The next morning, Allana saw a list displayed on a screen outside of the lunchroom where all available Jedi, Masters, Knights, and children ate. It read:

_Destination: Hapes  
Purpose: Diplomacy/Aid  
Requested by: Queen Mother Tenel Ka Djo  
Requested for: Queen Mother and regent  
Jedi called for: Master Jacen Solo, Knights Ben Skywalker, Rei Ti…_

The girl carefully scanned the mission roster, but much to her dismay, her name was not on the list of apprentices, even though her Master was on the Knights list. Blood rose to her face as she clenched her fists in anger. She thought that she could get a part in a big mission, but that Solo just had to keep her off the list. Since Jacen Solo was the only Master on the roster, she was certain that he handpicked the team members. Forgetting her breakfast and her messy, blonde hair, Allana strode off towards the hangar where the mission's escort ship would be docked.

"Allana, I've been looking for you." The apprentice stopped to find her Master, Rei Ti, standing before the Hapan convoy.

"Master…" The girl reddened even more so as she backed off ashamedly. Almost immediately, she regretted her actions, for she did not wish to let on that she suspected herself of carrying Solo blood.

"Can you tell Riko to referee the Temple's next stick ball tournament in addition to the exercises?" Asked the Jedi Knight, who was also Kirana Ti's Dathomir-trained daughter. Riko was the Jedi's other student and a year younger than Allana.

"Yes, Master." Allana replied as she withheld her storm of emotions from her voice. Immediately afterwards, the older Jedi nearly squeezed her in a bear hug.

"That's my good apprentice," grinned the older Jedi, brushing back a long, dark braid as she boarded the ship. 

Allana sighed as soon as her Master was out of hearing range. That meant that she had a very limited amount of time to find Riko and then somehow sneak aboard the shuttle. She wished that she had a comlink, but knew that those were reserved for the missions to the rogue worlds.

Fortunately for the teen, she quickly found Riko hanging around outside his quarters, still struggling to wake himself up.

"Lan?" The tentacled apprentice called Allana by her nickname.

"Master Ti wants you to referee the next ball game for her. Can you do that?" Asked Allana hurriedly. 

"Why? What's with her? She never misses these games. Well, for that matter, what's with you?" The short, tentacled boy asked as he threw a brown tunic over his tan robes.

"Master Solo's leading a mission to Hapes and she's on the list. The Queen Mother called for some sort of emergency," explained Allana as she placed her hands on Riko's shoulders.

"Master Solo and Master Ti on a mission to help the queen? This'll be an interesting story," chuckled the boy. When Allana looked into his chocolate eyes, she read glints of amusement and incredulity. 

"Why?" Asked Allana.

"Didn't you know? Rumor says that she had an affair with Master Solo and Master Ti said that the queen's from her clan. With that in the mix, things have got to be interesting." The tan Twi'lek replied. "Then there's you." 

When Allana shied away, Riko asked in a quieter, less excited tone. "You are going with them, aren't you, Lan?"

"No." Allana almost sighed.

"Sorry about that. I think you should be there," reassured Riko, offering a hug that Lan refused. 

"Thanks." The girl began to stride back towards the hangar when Riko stopped her.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Asked the younger apprentice.

"I have stuff to do," Allana lied, hiding the guilt on her face behind her large hair. Even though she knew that she could not tell the boy of her plans to sneak away and that it would have been even more wrong to drag another into her scheme to land herself in Hapes, she could not help but feel guilty for lying to one of her best and most supportive friends. Perhaps, in a way, Allana did have something to do. The girl grinned as she saw that all of the cameras in the hanger were pointed away from her for the moment. She knew that she had little time left when the engine started up with a booming roar and generated a gust of wind strong enough to send her crashing backwards into the closed door behind her back. Allana had been counting on the wind's force for increasing her momentum.

With a Force-assisted leap, Allana bounced off the wall and straight into the escort though the baggage port just before it closed on her.

"Kriff." The girl cursed silently as she heard a combination of her own noise and another Jedi's footprints from above, but luckily for her, she had already disguised her presence and the Jedi above could hear nothing over the engine noise. Then, when Allana was certain that all was clear, she climbed up to find a more comfortable hiding spot and used the Force to rearrange the luggage so as to make it appear undisturbed. When she finally settled down in a warm, hidden nook, she began to clean up her long, blonde curls, which matched her granite-gray eyes.

-scene change-

Almost as soon as Kala straightened out her formal clothes and sat down on the throne---where she felt only her adoptive mother could sit---she heard footsteps. She wished that she had her mother's powers and was able to determine who was approaching her, but had long ago accepted herself for not being able to train in the Jedi ways. 

"Come in, milady." Kala heard a shuffle and turned to see a servant bow as he admitted in a woman wearing a royal, scarlet veil.

"Queen Mother… My my, Princess Kala! So the tragedy is true! Tenel Ka is still alive, isn't she?" Though there was no sign of age behind the veil, Kala could tell that the speaker was about as old as Isolder.

"Yes, unfortunately. And you are?" Asked Kala.

"Oh my! How rude of me as to not introduce myself!" Gasped the woman. There was something fake about the dramatic display of emotion, but Kala could not make certain without the ability to use the Jedi sorcery. "I am Princess Alyssia, your mother's aunt. I come to offer my condolences and my help." 

"Thank you." For a long, pregnant silence, Kala pondered her response, but finally decided to accept the help, as much as she found the source questionable. In such times, she had to use any and all resources that she could get. "What have you to offer me?" 

"My princess, although you have sat on this throne longer than I have, I have some advice that I thought you might find useful. May we discuss this alone?" The lady bowed gracefully, her elaborate, green and blue robes sweeping the mosaic on the floor as she did so. Albeit hesitantly, Kala nodded and flicked her wrist, telling the servants to leave. The lady then continued. "Even though I have never sat on the throne, my mother had received much training from one of your late predecessors, which that she had passed on to me."

"Go on." Kala stepped down from the high throne to walk beside the thin but elegant, elderly woman.

"I know the ways of this government and I come with a few propositions." 

"So what do you suggest that I do, milady?"

"Your majesty, your mother has won widespread support. Now, you must do the same." The ancient woman paused, letting a glint of the moonlight flash past her emerald-green eyes. "By pleasing our women." 

"Yes, that is key to winning support, but how would I… we do it?" Asked Kala as she curled one pale finger around her smooth, creamy chin.

"Well, first of all, take my gift. The people tend to rally around good girls and good girls wear red." Though Kala could not see past Alyssia's veil, she knew that the old woman was grinning.

"Thank you, princess." When the young woman unwrapped the package, she found a scarlet veil, which royal women often donned. Careful not to offend the giver, Kala donned the veil. 

"Ah, as I've predicted, this suits you perfectly, Queen Mother." Alyssia purposefully flattered Kala with the title that she did not earn. "I have spoken with many of my people, and they wish to instate a curfew from dusk to dawn."

"Okay. I assume that this is for the children?" Asked Kala skeptically. 

"No, they demand a curfew on all sentient males," sighed the elderly woman.

"But that is unfair! I must treat my people equally!" Kala would have pounded her bony fist against something, had there been something for her to hit. She felt something collapse within her, as if they were walls that finally caved in under all of the grief that she had been suffering.

"I wish that they wished it so, but even the men of the region agreed to it."

"But I can't treat my men like that!" Kala thought that she had no energy left after crying her eyes out in her chambers, but found a hidden reserve within herself when she heard the arguments. Still, she was expended and knew that the strength could not possibly last long.

"And you also need to please these women. They're having some problems with the treacherous males running loose. The males merely wish to cure themselves," sighed Alyssia mournfully as her hood fell back far enough just to reveal a few strands of her silver hair.

"Milady, I appreciate your kindness, but I really can't accept this offer," stuttered Kala as her face paled.

"These women and men will support you if you do it." When Alyssia saw Kala opening her mouth to protest further, she continued. "Did you ever wonder why your mother did not tell you much about her lost baby?"

"She always avoided the subject because something about it pained her. I respect her for that," replied Kala, uncertain as to where Alyssia was taking the conversation.

"It's because a man whom she had trusted with her soul betrayed her and stole her only child from her. He left her to die emotionally and, had you not found her, she probably would have," Alyssia told the younger woman in a hushed but powerful and alluring tone. When the regent opened her mouth to voice her hesitation, Alyssia added, "Ask your mother. She knows better than I do."

Kala wanted to ask Alyssia how she knew more about Tenel Ka than a daughter would, but stopped when she remembered that Alyssia was the Queen Mother's aunt. Though she did not fully trust the woman, Kala did not wish to offend a potential ally and could not find the strength to refuse after seeing her mother suffer either. "Very well. This curfew will be instated. No man may walk the streets without female or droid supervision between dusk and dawn. Thank you for your aid, milady. I'm sure I'll be needing more soon."

"Thank you for hearing me out, Queen Mother." Alyssia emphasized the last two words as she bowed in rather sarcastic manner before leaving. Though Kala was not Force-sensitive, she could not shake the feeling that the other royal was too pleased and that something in the minor gestures was warning her of some sort of danger that hovered about Princess Alyssia. 

"Milady, a party of Jedi have just landed in the hangar and Lady Aleson wishes to enter the palace," a servant reported as soon as Alyssia strode out through the large, double doors of the throne room, clicking her high heels against the stone floors as she walked. 

"Let Lady Aleson enter. In the meantime, entertain our Jedi guests." ordered Kala. Even though it was boiling under her thick, crimson veil, her face paled and she was glad that she had something to hide behind. Cold sweat ran down her skin as her gloved hands began to shake uncontrollably. She had not requested Jedi presence. What were they doing in her palace? Most likely, they were there at her adoptive mother's call, but why was her estranged aunt there? 

"As you wish, your majesty." the servant responded with a bow.  
-That's it for now-


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: In addition to the first disclaimer in the first post, I must add that I'll be using many different sources for this, ranging from Chinese laws to Ripley's Believe it or Not, so many things that look like the old MSN headline "Mexico Town Bans Indoor Nudity" will be real and therefore not mine. Some of this fic will also be based on the information that I used to construct the full Hapes/Dathomir family tree, which is in the Tenel Ka shrine on my website. For details on the weird laws, PM me. I'm not making fun of any laws, even if I seem to be.

Also, since school started, updated might be really slow, even compared to the rates at which I wrote two previous fics because I've learned that I really like to go on and on since starting that fic more than a year ago and that I have tougher classes this year (I could play calculator games and still top the class in Chem I, but now, even though I worked my butt off, I couldn't beat those smart boys in the class on the final).  
Chapter 2

"Whew. I'm not caught. So far so good. If these Masters get me, I'll be dead." Allana thought in relief as she heard the other Jedi in the shuttle follow several fancily clad men and women out of the hangar, leaving behind only a few maintenance droids. While the mechanics were busy washing up the ship, the apprentice dashed out of the hangar and took a turbolift down. If the history lessons were accurate, the turbolift of the Royal Spaceport should lead directly to a tunnel that ended in the center of the capital city. Allana was glad that her shoes were too soft to make much noise against the flooring.

When Allana first came out into the city, she glared into the dawning sun, but soon turned away from the burning rays to face a large collection of colossal shadows. As bright and cheery as the morning colors were, she could not help but feel that even the morning shadows could not contain the amount of dreariness present in the scene. It was as if something was tainting the Force in the area.

"Why am I thinking about scenery when I gotta disguise myself first?" the girl muttered disgustedly as she began to walk down the street, scanning the windows for clothes and Holo-models. She grinned when she saw three holograms of teens her age staring back at her from behind a transparisteel barrier, showing off their fashion. She opened the shop's door and was lucky to find an open store so quickly at dawn, especially in the summertime. Not wanting to waste any time, Allana dashed for the first 'on sale' sign that she could spot within the shop.

"Is it light out?" Allana jumped backwards in surprise as she heard the voice from behind the clothes.

"Well, yes. Does it mean something?" Allana pushed apart two shirts to see a boy huddling. He was tall and gangly, with a few locks of brown hair barely touching his broad shoulders.

"It means that I can go out!" The boy grinned. 

"Strange." Allana was about to say more, but changed her mind when she noticed a bruise on the boy's arm. "What happened?" 

"The Queen Mother put a curfew over us and some guards beat me when I went out last night," the boy explained. Allana did not want to believe him, but when she probed his mind, she found nothing but sincerity.

"That is the stupidest l…" the Jedi began, but was interrupted.

"Sh… Don't say anything bad about the queen or she'll kill you," the boy warned as he carefully crawled out of his hiding place. "You're a Jedi, aren't you?"

"Yeah, but don't tell anyone," muttered Allana as she picked out a cloak, a set of overalls, and a pair of boots. 

"I won't tell. Can you heal this?" asked the boy, showing her the bruises and bumps on his right forearm.

"Sure and thanks." Allana grinned as she drew on the Force to stop the bleeding.

"I take it you're here for a secret mission?" asked the boy.

"Don't bother the customer, Nikor. Why don't you go out and practice for track now that the sun's out again?" A middle-aged woman who was apparently the store's owner stepped into the scene from behind the counter. "I apologize for my son. Please don't mind him."

"Oh, it's okay," Allana said to the woman as she checked out the green, silky outfit and the midnight black boots. She was glad that she had brought her money and even more thankful that the store, however small it was, had accepted her Alliance credits. When she walked back out of the door, she found Nikor waiting outside.

"So are you on a secret mission of sorts?" asked the boy.

Hesitantly, Allana asked Nikor what he knew of the curfew and was shocked to hear the details. "They beat you up as a warning for getting up early and jogging?"

"Yeah. It's pretty bad for us, Jedi…" 

"Allana. I'm sorry I haven't told you who I am. I'm guessing you're Nikor?"

"Yeah. That's not a common name around here. We haven't had an Allana on this planet in fourteen years," commented Nikor as they strode down the street. 

"Really?"

"Yeah, not since the princess died." 

Allana did not comment on the princess, though she sensed a certain amount of uncertainty behind Nikor's statement. "I can't believe a Jedi queen would impose such a curfew on men."

"I can't say much, but read my mind," offered Nikor as he tried to think as strongly as he could without speaking. _It'd be all right if Tenel Ka was still on the throne. The problem's that she put her adopted brat in that seat. I hope I gave you enough info._ "Well, I'd better go."

"It was nice talking to you and thanks for the info." Allana grinned. Then, after Nikor waved his goodbye, Allana leaped into the nearest public refresher and began to change as she hurriedly stuffed all of her Jedi tools into folds inside her new clothes. Whatever she was going to do next, she was going to have to do it without her weapon.

_… not since the princess died._ Nikor's voice echoed in Allana's head as she buttoned up her new outfit. The girl tried to shake the voice out of her head, but only succeeded in bringing forth another flashback.

_…she had an affair with Master Solo and Master Ti said that the queen's also from her clan …_ Instead of hearing the zippers, Allana only heard Riko's voice as she put on her boots. Was she uncomfortable around Skywalkers and Solos because she was the 'dead' princess and the daughter of that affair? According to the Masters, she was brought into the Temple just a few days before Tenel Ka announced that the baby was dead. Allana quickly pushed the thoughts away, for she knew that such a notion could only remain fantasy. All that the information could mean was that she had to be extremely careful and remain covert whenever she arrived at the palace to investigate the strange, cruel law. 

For a moment, Allana paused as guilt washed over her. So far, she had selfishly lied to a friend and broken a Jedi rule for the sake of adventure. She tried to justify it by saying that she always felt a non-Jedi role calling to her from Hapes, but that did not make things right.

"Quit being a brat. I can't go back in time and fix things, so I may as well stay here and do this place some good, or would that be too vigilante? Why am I even questioning myself now? I should have done that before I snuck aboard," Allana scolded herself. Somehow, Allana had the feeling that the curfew was a mere precursor to more suffering and might spark a violent, terrible uprising.

-scene change-

Jacen took a deep breath as the ship prepared to land. Even after all of these years, he still did not want to face Tenel Ka, whom he had so terribly betrayed fourteen years ago. He had taken everything—her lover, her only child, and her world—from her and now, he had no choice but to face her. Luke Skywalker had good intentions in placing Jacen at the head of the Jedi Order a year ago, but had no idea what he had obliged his nephew to do as a politician. From a political standpoint, he was obligated to come to an Alliance world when its ruler requested help.

As the Jedi toured the palace, the servants offered a variety of drinks and Hapan delicacies, all of which the guests rejected, keeping up their Jedi mystique. Jacen knew that something was horribly wrong because the servants were not taking the Jedi to either Tenel Ka or her adoptive daughter, but he could not bring himself to point anything out. He relished in physical pain, but not in emotional, self-inflicted suffering. 

Finally, one of the other Jedi brought up Jacen's dreaded subject. "May we see the Queen Mother?"

"Unfortunately, her majesty is in no condition to have guests and the princess, the acting Queen Mother, is speaking privately with Lady Aleson," replied the tour guide.

"No, we may talk, my Jedi friends," said a weak but powerful voice from the other end of the corridor. Jacen looked ahead to see a much weakened but still strong Tenel Ka forcing herself to walk by drawing on the Force for strength. He stared into her eyes and the violent ire that he found raging in her pupils almost threw him back, as if Tenel Ka was using the Force to hurl him. Perhaps it was true that the greater the love, the greater the hate when the lovers parted. Jacen began to shake as his former lover's labored and forceful breaths echoed down the stony hallway. 

The Jedi Master never knew that the woman he once loved, and perhaps still loved, could inspire such fear or stab him so deeply. Perhaps it was only fair since he took away her child. Tenel Ka's face was as pale as it could get, giving her gray eyes the impression of sharpened transparisteel daggers. She projected no emotions into the Force, but she did not need to. Even though Tenel Ka was considerably weakened, the Jedi could tell that she was still the same warrior, only locked in a body that could no longer contain her immensely powerful Force presence.

"Queen Mother, a thorough analysis of your condition tells me that you are in no shape to be out of bed." A medic trailed behind Tenel Ka, trying to stop the fiery-haired woman in her path. Several servants and other medics nodded in agreement, but the woman merely waved them aside with her single hand. With a rancor tooth saber hilt clutched in the hand, the former Jedi seemed to be challenging Jacen to a duel. From the expression on Tenel Ka's face and from her stride, Jacen could tell that Tenel Ka was on as much of a rampage as her ailment allowed. 

"We will speak and we will walk," Tenel Ka replied simply. "Come."

"Very well, my queen." The medic bowed, not wanting to suffer the same embarrassment as the doctor who tried to fit the woman with a prosthetic arm decades earlier. "But your chances of recovery will decline by 50."

"Fact." Tenel Ka nodded.

"What is it, Queen Mother?" asked Rei. 

"I ask you to protect my daughter from my nobles. I called because I am no longer able to provide such protection," Tenel Ka announced when the Jedi arrived at one of the entrances to the throne room. She then paused long enough to let them see a veiled, young woman talking to a well dressed, middle-aged lady.

"If you're asking us to help your daughter, we'll do it gladly! She's my sister, even if she's not a witch like us," offered Rei, taking a step forward as she did so.

"Thank you, sister Rei." (Tenel Ka nodded, and for the moment, all of the coldness in her eyes seemed to have vanished. However, the minute her gaze darted back to Jacen, the wrath returned.

"We will help, too. Just tell us how." Ben was the next to volunteer. When he stepped up, all of the other Jedi followed suit, signaling Tenel Ka that Ben was the spokesperson.

"Thank you, Jedi Skywalker. Guard Princess Kala. Ensure her safety and keep a low profile," ordered Tenel Ka.

"Yes, your majesty," Jacen spoke on behalf of all of the Knights, apprentices, and Masters. He tried to use the opportunity to turn and leave with the rest of the Jedi, but Tenel Ka stopped him.

"Master Solo." Tenel Ka's voice was colder than ice, totally devoid of the warmth and enthusiasm that it had once tried to hide. Jacen was no longer friend Jacen, and for that reason, the Jedi Master knew that he was in hot water. When the two were alone, Tenel Ka finally spoke again, this time lowering her gaze slightly in shame, which she did not want to show Jacen, "You have shamed me before my sisters. You will suffer for this."

"Trust me, I already…" Jacen began. To Tenel Ka, it looked pitiful, for she doubted that Jacen could possibly have a clue as to how Dathomiri women regarded those who outlived their daughters and those whose men went rogue. Because she was unable to send Allana to Dathomir as promised, she had been almost demoted over the fact that she allowed for her child--- not just any child, but her first daughter--- to be stolen. To make it worse, she did not know of the child's whereabouts.

"Trust is an act of faith, which you lack and which I cannot afford to have, Master Solo. I hope you are happy that you have taken my child without my consent and that Allana likes her life." Tenel Ka wanted more than anything to send Jacen away, but found that she had some decade-old questions that she could no longer withhold. She could not die ignorant.

"Tenel Ka…" 

"That is Queen Mother to you, Master Solo," Tenel Ka glared. With the b(Should be her instead of the.)/b orange hair down, Tenel Ka looked dangerous and terrifying.

"Your majesty, I can explain."

"Then why did you not do so before you took Allana?" The question hit Jacen like a stone, leaving him speechless. Deep inside, he knew that his actions were rash and wrong, but he could not bring himself to admit it. Suddenly, all of the shock from hearing that Tenel Ka had made her adoptive daughter regent disappeared and Jacen remembered the last conversation he had with the queen. The same qualities that once, and perhaps still, attracted Jacen to the queen were now drawing out his fear.

Flashback

"Allana is dead? What happened to my daughter?" Jacen tried to fake a surprised expression as he spoke with the Hapan queen over a secure channel.

"Do no attempt to lie to me, Jedi Solo. Where have you taken her?" Tenel Ka went straight to the point.

"To a safe place. That's all I can say." Jacen lowered his gaze in both shame and defeat before throwing a glance over his shoulders to see if the doors behind him remained locked. For a moment, he contemplated giving her the exact location, but then decided against it. He could not risk Tenel Ka coming to Ossus and taking the child back to her dangerous life on Hapes, nor could he chance the news getting out and inviting an attack from angry, anti-Jedi Hapans.

"Where?" Tenel Ka's granite gray eyes narrowed, hurling a chill down Jacen's spine.

"I can't tell you." For a moment, Jacen could see the former Jedi contemplating the use of force.

"Do not contact me again until you return my daughter to Hapes. Do not forget that you do not have custody of her," Tenel Ka warned coldly before killing the link, silencing all communications between her and Jacen for the next fourteen years.

End of Flashback

Jacen knew that if he had any luck, Tenel Ka would not remember the details of the conversation.

-scene change-

"Lady Aleson, I was not expecting you," stated Kala as her slim and gaunt aunt strolled casually through the large, wooden doors.

"I've come to console and congratulate you, like an aunt should," the woman replied simply as she paced before the throne. Normally, Kala would have been slightly annoyed, but on that day, she was too tired to notice such disrespect.

"And yet you have been absent for most of my life. If I recall correctly, you didn't even stay past my father's funeral," Kala struggled not to retort as she patted her stylish clothes before stepping off of the throne and forced some sweetness into her voice, "but thank you for coming. Your presence is appreciated."

"What, no hugs for your dear Aunt Trisde?" Asked Aleson.

"Well, you do deserve a hug," Admitted Kala, allowing for her aunt to squeeze her in a somewhat false show of affection. "Is there any favor that I can do for you or your house?"

"Actually, yes. I ask you to avenge my brother's death."

"I don't understand. The men behind the plot have already been sentenced to death fourteen years ago, as we both well know."

"And you'll just let it stop there? Your father is dead while these criminals still live!" Aleson would have snarled had she not been in the presence of the regent.

"Not for much longer, though." Kala replied somewhat coldly.

"Fifteen years isn't long enough, is it?" Sneered Aleson. "Have you forgotten your blood, your _majesty?_"

"Better for them to suffer first than to die. They don't deserve the honor to be executed," Kala launched at her aunt, tired of arguing, but immediately regretted her words. 

"But Queen Mother, all that I'm asking is that you change the laws and speed up the executions. Your father will be proud of you for that," pleaded Lady Aleson.

"If you are asking me to shoot those two idiots now, I'm sorry, but I can't. From my position, I cannot be partial. If the executioner takes these two…" Kala began.

"Then she will have to shoot every other prisoner on death row. That is my purpose. Please, my niece, will you not do your own house a favor?" begged the gaunt aunt.

"Like my mother before me, I'm from House AlGray. However, even if you are the Lady of my House, I can't accept this." Kala shook her head.

"Lady AlGray---your grandmother's sister---has also signed this petition. Do you truly consider yourself a member of House AlGray? If you do, you, as niece, must stand by her side on every issue." Aleson handed her niece a datapad.

"But some of these convicts are innocent," Kala began to protest. She wanted to reject the law outright, but then remembered her natural allegiance to her biological mother's family, even though she had no memories of her real mother.

"Keeping these prisoners is costing you. More than two out of five Consortium prison facilities lie in my territory and as Lady, I have seen the bills," argued the older woman. Her face twisted slightly, and for a second, Kala thought that the lady embodied the dark, twisted side of the ethereal planet.

"I will speak with my mother's economics advisor when he returns to confirm this." Kala sighed.

"That will take time, which I believe is of the essence to you. Accept the proposal and avenge your father. We can then be strong allies as well as aunt and niece, Queen Mother." When Kala remained speechless, Aleson continued. "Don't you find it outrageous that certain criminals who have attempted to seize Hapes lived out the full lifespan despite death sentences?"

"Who would those be?" asked Kala, her interest piqued.

"I'm sure you're familiar with the story of Ambassador Yfra's attempted coup d'état." Aleson continued to pace before the throne. 

"She was a dangerous despot and a habitual liar, according to my mother," the girl answered, not certain as to where the conversation was going.

"Do you not find it interesting that she had died of old age, even though she had two death sentences? Then there are all of the assassins. If you'll check them up, you'll see that they're all alive, if not well. Prison life becomes less and less torturous each year," continued the aunt.

"What exactly do you propose that I do, besides order the death of everyone who deserves a death sentence?" Kala had finally had enough of her aunt. She wanted to dismiss the woman from her presence, but because she was not fully Queen Mother and related to the guest, she could not. Wishing to rid herself of the relative's presence without argument, the princess gave in. Her heart pounded heavily and cold sweat rolled down her skin beneath the veil as she wondered what the Jedi visitors could be thinking as the servants stalled for time.

"Let every convicted man be shot two weeks after the trial and every woman three weeks. It will not matter if he is truly innocent. Also, I suggest that you set a maximum of twenty years for prison sentences so that any more severe crimes will warrant execution." Aleson grinned.

"Very well. This law will be passed. Since you are the Prison Lady, if I remember correctly, it will be your responsibility to enforce and work out the details of the law," Kala declared in a somewhat defeated voice. The job of the ruler was too big, and from a logical standpoint, she was merely delegating some duties to someone else.

"The people will appreciate you for putting money into their pockets." 

"Then I assume that you have ample funds to carry out your ambition." Kala stepped down from the throne for the moment. 

"Thank you for hearing me." Aleson smiled falsely as she bowed a shallow bow, just meeting the minimum requirement according to Hapan tradition.

"And thank you for your contribution to the government's function, Lady Aleson of the Eastern Seas," returned Kala as she gave her aunt a superficial hug. When the lady left, the servant returned.

"Shall I summon the Jedi?" he asked humbly.

"Yes." The young woman nodded. Upon hearing that, the man spoke into a comlink and a bodyguard appeared with a group of Jedi at one of the smaller entrances. Though Jacen Solo's short curls were combed back in an orderly manner and his robes flawless, he had an inexplicably bedraggled air about him. Overlooking his shoulders were the prowling, blue-gray eyes of the redheaded Ben Skywalker, whose every little detail radiated energy despite the dull, uninviting clothes. Kala's eyes then moved to the rest of the Jedi and an overbearing wave of shame hit her before she began to doubt herself. Was it a selfish move to cede to Aleson's proposal? Kala then shook her head, for the top economist of Hapes would soon come to her side and reveal how much money she would save in making such a move. Besides, it was her job as a woman to obey elders and superiors, especially when the leaders of both her father's house and her mother's house were united. Plus, the ladies who signed the proposal had far more experience than she did as leaders and thus knew what was best.

"I assume that my mother summoned you, Masters?" Kala walked up to greet the Jedi. 

"Yes. We are here to help you, your majesty." Their leader, Jacen Solo, spoke first.

"Did she ask for anything in particular?"

"We were asked to guard you and keep a low profile." Ben stepped forward, stopping at his cousin's side. 

"I see the plan." Kala nodded, remembering the set of secret codes that her adoptive mother had taught her. "Most of you will need to change out of those robes."

-scene change- 

As Aleson gracefully carried her gaunt, bony frame out of the palace, a woman with a veiled face and refined wrinkles around her eyes approached her.

"Has everything gone as planned?" asked the elderly woman.

"Yes, Princess; in fact, my brother's brat gave me a blank check, only without the money, which is not a problem. You know, you are one brilliant mastermind," commented Aleson.

"Why, thank you."

"I'm wondering why you didn't take lead of the party. Under your hand, we would have ruled for years," complained Aleson.

"It is a matter of courtesy to yield to the eldest sister. Since Chelik is the first granddaughter of the esteemed Ni'Korish, only she could lead this party. She's doing quite fine, isn't she?" Beneath the scarlet veil, Alyssia grinned a malicious, toothless grin. 

"Yes, I suppose, but if she's doing so well, why are you going behind her back with this plan?"

"I'm not. She has devised part of the plan," Alyssia lied, not letting on to the other woman how glad she was to be rid of her sister's first daughter at last. When she saw a few onlookers, she switched to code language. "So the show begins. I wonder if Vin's here or if he's decided to go home."

"Long live Queen Ni'Korish!" Aleson walked over to a statue of the ancient leader, pretending to read aloud from an inscription rather than exalting her political party.

"Ah, yes, long live Queen Ni'Korish!" Alyssia followed suit as she chuckled insanely. Then, as if seized in a fit of hysteria, both women began to laugh high-pitched laughs that seemed to echo throughout the planet.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

As Ben patrolled the third level of the palace, he could not help but believe that he had been there before, even though he was certain that this was his first time in the building.

_"You have a kid together? Cool!"_ The voice of a child echoed down the marble hallways, dotted by occasional insect-like clicks from the ceiling. Ben froze when he recognized the voice as his own. The Jedi Knight shook his head and walked on, for he was supposed to be looking out for suspicious things and watching the Force, not daydreaming. As his hand smacked his forehead, a few locks of red hair fell lose, their tips landing at his eyebrows. Most likely, it was nothing but a nightmare.

_"You guys are going to be in so much trouble._ The voice returned, but without resonating down the halls this time. Ben closed his eyes and cut himself off from the Force temporarily, hoping to silence the voice and the collateral headache. Still, he could not help but wonder who he was talking to when he was a child. The Jedi then returned his attentions to the Force and the patrol, his shiny, Hapan guard uniform clicking as he sauntered down the hallways.

Flashback

"We have to leave for Hapes," Jacen said upon emerging from their borrowed ship, an old, battered frigate that blended into the surrounding forest.

"Why?" the nine-year-old Ben asked, poking a stick into the campfire before him.

"Their queen, an old friend of mine, just commed me. She has news for me and asked me to come for a secret meeting."

"A secret meeting? Great!" Ben stood up.

"Now, we must not be seen," Jacen knelt down and put his hands on Ben's shoulders.

"Gotcha." 

End of flashback

Ben snapped out of the vision, stopping just short of a vase that he would have absent-mindedly collided with. He had always thought it was strange how he never remembered leaving Endor, but it all began to make sense now. Resentment rose up his systems as he made a slight detour and walked on. His cousin must have done something to his mind. However, as quickly as the anger rose, it faded, for whatever had happened, it occurred long ago. The comlink on his belt beeped and Ben picked it up. "This is Jedi Knight Skywalker."

"There is a revolt making its way toward the palace. I need backup!" a female voice spoke over the distance.

"Where are you?" Ben asked. 

"Third circle and Gallinore Street. Transmitting coordinates." Though the capital city radiated from an ellipse that centered on the palace and the senate hall, the people called them circles, for the roads became increasingly centered on the midpoint between the two buildings rather than two foci as they moved toward the ocean and the suburbs.

"Have you informed Master Solo?" 

"He asked me to report to you and Master Rei Ti."

"I'm on my way." Ben then thumbed a button and opened all Jedi channels. "This is Jedi Knight Skywalker signing out at the Royal Guards' request."

Glancing down both ends of the hallways to ascertain that they were empty. Ben gave himself a running start and somersaulted out of the nearest window. He barely missed a parted speeder as he brought himself to a rolling stop near the intersection of the first circle and one of the six major streets. Ben then broke into a mad dash towards the location that the Hapan reported and stopped to find Rei Ti already there.

-scene change- 

"Senator Vin, my advisor has sent you in his absence?" Kala waited for the Mairan to be carted out of the senate hall. 

"Yes." the large, tentacled Mairan spoke in barely comprehensible Basic. He then added, "I was an economist before I was senator."

"Have you reviewed Lady Aleson's request regarding prison reform?" asked Kala.

"Yes. Prison profits are rising at an exponential rate. Within a month, we will be able to afford new weapons, improved security, and pay raises for the guards. You and your allies have contributed more to the Hapan economy than the previous three queens put together." Though the sea-faring senator tried to speak slowly and clearly, Kala had to pause to decipher and digest his report.

"Have I? I've only ruled for less than a day." Kala patted something that she sported on one of her gloved hands.

"Ah, but because of your first law---the curfew, I believe---corporate profits for the droid manufacturers are expected to rise by 50 on the twin worlds, 10 on my world…" the senator went on to cite a list of statistics that flew past Kala's ears.

"I see. I take it that our worlds are pleased."

"More than pleased, Queen Mother. You have boosted two of our most prestigious industries." 

"Two?" Kala threw a surprised but shrewd sidelong glance at the Mairan as his water tank squirted some water to keep his amphibian skin moist. "What is the other one, I wonder?"

"That would be the Vergillian transport monopoly," the senator announced hesitantly, due to the fact that he considered Vergill to be his rival. He almost sneered, but Kala could not detect anything through his thick, coarse accent. "They'll alleviate your unemployment problem; every woman who is willing and able to work at night will have a job."

He then went on to launch a one-sided discourse on the impact of Kala's actions, which was so heavily accented and loaded with specialized terminology that Kala could only pretend to understand. She wanted to ask the man to repeat himself in slow, clear terms, but decided that such an action could soil her reputation, which was crucial at the beginning of a woman's political career.

"I see," Kala lied, rubbing her hands together. "Is there anything that you would propose?"

"I propose nothing, but I do offer a gift in return for granting me audience, Queen Mother."

"What would that be?"

"Come to my planet and I will show you. I'm sure the loyalty will impress you and please your mother, whom I believe worked a lifetime for what I have achieved at last." Kala saw a sinister speck in the Mairan's wide grin, but nodded in consent anyways. In such times of darkness, she needed anything and everything that she could get to make her job easier.

-scene change-

Allana glanced around to make certain that nobody was looking in her direction and then climbed up a tree whose most prominent branch reached over the wall that encircled Fountain Palace. The main gate was not too far, but she could not afford to go in through the official entrance. The girl smiled. The leaves were just thick enough to completely conceal her, but thin enough that she could study the layout of the courtyards and see through the castle's windows. When she reached into the Force, she felt that the place reeked of imminent danger, possibly death, but not her own. She expanded her parameters and found a lurking presence just inside the palace walls.

_Here he comes. I'd better make my move, but I'm still not sure. Oh well, I need to make a point to the Queen Mother about the new laws and I heard that this is how the people do things in the high places._

Allana heard the man's thought after concentrating hard on the presence that she had found. She opened her eyes to see six women, apparently bodyguards, accompany an aging man as he headed toward the gate. Long, white hair hung past his strong, broad shoulders as his boots clacked to match his dignified gait.

"Oh, no. I hate assassination plots," Allana muttered as she heard someone load a blaster rifle beneath her. She wanted to use the Force, but then remembered her disguise and quickly crossed over to the other side of the palace wall via a thick branch and reached into her pockets for a bottle of perfume. Once again, she felt that her actions could be potentially vigilante, but suppressed the feeling. It would be best to first stop the attempt and then make sure that the two negotiated. Allana squinted to locate the rustle in the ornamental bushes and then aimed the perfume nozzle in its direction. If the guest lecturer was correct, then her perfume would serve as a pheromone to draw out bugs in its direction. After one spray, Allana decided that she needed a more effective method to stop the man, for even with gravity and the Force on her side, the particles did not sink fast enough in the assassin's direction.

The Jedi apprentice's smile grew feral as a new idea came to her. She quickly dropped the entire bottle, used the Force to guide it so that it knocked the stingbug hive off of the branch, and then guided both projectiles towards the gunman. Then, the girl enforced her hint by convincing the bugs that remained in the tree to go down. As the man took his aim, Allana used her telekinetic skills to point the nozzle downward and spray the perfume. The man pulled the trigger, but his shot went wide due to a series of insect stings.

"Ah!" tThe man screamed as he fired the remainder of his shots harmlessly into the sky and suffered sting after biting sting. The old politician's bodyguards wasted no time in shooting the berserk man with several stun shots. Seeing her goal accomplished, Allana guided the nest so that it bounced safely into a bush that carried several pieces of juicy, red fruit. When the entire swarm of bugs returned to their new home, one of the guards, much to Allana's dismay, picked up the perfume bottle and then glanced up into the tree where Allana was hiding while the officer's compatriots cleaned up the body.

"Please, come down. I know you're up there," the guard said, stopping Allana dead in her tracks as she prepared to move to another section of the tree. Allana sighed in surrender as she somersaulted gracefully out of the tree, before scolding herself for being too showy and conspicuous. Even with a dark green outfit that could blend into most surroundings, a Jedi in hiding could still be discovered.

"I invite you to speak with us, though not from a tree. I believe I owe you my life, young lady." The regal man's grin and warm voice both seemed forced, as if something was haunting him. "What is your name?" 

Allana thought about lying and making up an alias, but decided against it. She had a nickname, which would suffice for a disguise. "Lan, sir."

When the man looked down at Allana, she saw a striking resemblance to her own self in his hesitant, blue-gray eyes. It was as if a bolt of lightning just traveled down her spine, so she quickly closed herself off from the Force. The tall, old man struggled not to turn away before forcing himself to offer Allana, "You should be sufficiently rewarded for your actions, lady Lan. Come with me."

"Thank you." Allana wanted to reject the offer, but then decided that the old man might be her opportunity to learn more of the strange curfew. For the moment, all regret of not having used a less noticeable method to stop the assassin faded. "Milord, would you happen to know anything about a curfew on men?"

"No." The old man suddenly appeared even more disturbed than before. "Have I missed something while I was in the conference?"

"I'm not sure, milord, but the people seem unhappy that one man was beaten for walking around early in the morning." Allana told the old man.

"This is disturbing," noted the man.

A comlink cackled and one of the guards paled before reporting the news. "My prince, I just got news of an uprising in the city. I believe that could use a royal touch."

"We must hurry back to the palace. We both need to speak with my granddaughter, Lan." The man began to rush back towards the castle. Allana felt as if she had just been punched in the stomach and wanted more than anything to reject the offer, but knew that she could not say 'no' to a man of such high rank when he was offering a reward. She reopened herself and begged the Force that she would not be caught sneaking into big missions.

"Once again, I cannot thank you enough, my Prince." Allana hesitantly added the last two words as she remembered whom she was speaking to. The old man and Allana led the entourage through a pair of large, golden doors, but only to face an empty throne. A servant greeted the prince with a bow and an apology.

"We wish to speak with the acting Queen Mother on some grievous notes," the old man told the servant.

"My apologies, your majesty, but she is unavailable."

"When will she return?"

"There is no information. She is scheduled to confer with Maires indefinitely."

The old man felt as if a rock hit his stomach, as if… He shook his head, trying to drive away fifteen-year-old memories before they could haunt him. He nodded, "I see. Come, Lady Lan. We must speak with my daughter."

_His daughter… That must be the Queen Mother! Oh kriff! She's a Jedi witch, so she'll know that I snuck out on this mission._ The thought hit Allana's head as she probed the minds around her for cultural information. Immediately, she withdrew her presence from the Force and began to silently sort out the bits of information that she managed to nab, which was not much. Still, it was assuring for her to know that it was customary to greet either the Queen Mother or the regent when one was in the palace.

As Allana followed the prince and did her best to march with the same, solid beat as the guards behind her, she noticed that he was leading her through a hallway that was lined with bedchambers. The girl quickly deduced that the Queen Mother was too sick to rule. She suddenly spotted a pale, beautiful woman striding in her direction from the opposite end of the corridor. Despite the aura of strength that gathered around the woman like a collection of magnets, Allana could tell that the tall, orange-haired lady was deathly ill, for a thin, medical gown was draped neatly on the woman's thick frame. Her hair hung in loose but disciplined curls, indicating that the woman normally wore it in braids.

"Tenel Ka, my queen…" the old man was rendered speechless at the sight of the woman. He sounded as if he saw intense suffering beneath the air of strength and hurt within her. As the woman approached, Allana could hear occasional labored breaths. The aging prince began to offer an arm for support and rush towards the ill woman, but the middle-aged ex-Jedi, through some laconic amount of gesticulation, told him that she would not accept anything yet.

As Tenel Ka began to head back to her chambers, her vision blurred and she saw Jacen walking down the hall with Allana in his arms. Initially, Jacen looked exactly the way she remembered him fourteen years ago, but he aged exponentially and his beard eventually grew back as the eight-month-old baby struggled in his arms. Allana made no cry, but she fought against her father's grip, extending both of her arms to Tenel Ka in a desperate call for rescue. As the baby finally freed herself from her father's grasp, the vision faded and Tenel Ka saw Isolder with a teenage girl trailing slightly behind him.

"Father, I did not expect for you to return so soon." Tenel Ka forced a grin onto her pale face. She would have hugged her father under any other circumstance, but she did not want to transmit to him her accursed illness, especially not when she knew nothing of the infection. "You bring news. What is it?"

The old prince did not want to say anything, but he also could not bring himself to refuse her commands, especially now that she ranked higher than him and gave him all that he could ever ask for.

"There has been a revolt, my queen. Lady Lan here has saved me from one of these men." Isolder stopped and gestured toward the girl, whose blonde curls were all loose, save a few strands that were wound into an elegant braid. As Tenel Ka approached the two, she began to feel traces of a presence that she had longed to detect for years. However, before she could probe any further, that presence retracted and closed up like a clam.

"Your majesty…" the girl began uneasily as she tried to bow, showing that she was obviously not from Hapes.

"We may forego the formalities, Lady Lan. I must thank you for protecting my father." Tenel Ka then turned to her father. "What news of the uprising?" 

"We are still uncertain as to the cause for dissent, but the diplomatic mission to the Rifle Worlds will be delayed indefinitely." As Isolder spoke, Tenel Ka quickly made a few notes of the young lady. The queen was pragmatic, but she was also a mother who had the Force on her side. It was impossible for someone with Allana's power to die without sending ripples throughout the Force. The fact that the teen's presence retracted meant that the child was well trained, and it was logical for Jacen to hide a baby in the temple on Ossus, one of the safest havens of the galaxy. Tenel Ka first made a few quick notes of the hair. Her father's hair had turned white a few years ago, but in its former vibrancy, its color matched that of the girl's hair to the last tint. However, the teen had the slim build and walked with the feline grace of a Solo woman. Perhaps her spell was not flawed and she chose the right combination of genes in anticipation of Jacen's visit, even though Allana looked nothing like any members of her mother's family all those years ago.

_Jacen Solo, you may yet be spared._

Tenel Ka said out loud, "I presume that you are here because Kala is absent, Father. I must see to this revolt."

The former Jedi wanted to reacquaint herself with her daughter, but she was queen before she was mother, and a queen had to serve her subjects first. Besides, it would not have been right to upset the teen in the halls of the palace by revealing that she had saved her grandfather's life and spoken to her mother within minutes. The truth would have to be revealed at a later time in a more private place.

"But Tenel Ka, you shouldn't be out of bed at this time!" Isolder's tone edged on fear as he pleaded with his daughter. Unable to restrain himself any longer, Isolder rushed to Tenel Ka to support her, but she responded with a hard stare and a shake of her head. The movement proved too sudden and several coughs rose from her overtaxed lungs.

"My regent is absent. I cannot get things done while in bed. I must speak with the security units." Tenel Ka managed between painful coughs.

"You have ruled from your private chambers before; you must do it again now!"

"I still emerged when necessary."

"I will carry you to your chambers if you ask me to!" begged Isolder as pained tears threatened to brim his eyelids.

"I have too much at risk, Father," Tenel Ka threw one last argument before striding for the office of the security chief. She knew that the guards would interpret her words as in she would not allow for any Hapan citizens to be injured, but Isolder knew that she meant him.

"Queen Mother, wait!" the teen broke her silence. She had come for information, and the queen was the most likely person to have it. Suddenly ashamed of her boldness and impudence, the girl closed her mouth and turned five different shades of red.

"Speak, Lady," Isolder urged the girl on.

Unable to resist the command of a regal man, the teen spoke, "Queen Mother, if your time allows, may I speak with you? I have come to investigate new laws because I have been entrusted with some most outrageous and incredible complaints. I'd only stopped the assassin because I chanced upon him on my way here."

"My daughter has been ruling in my place, so come, and we shall investigate this matter together." Tenel Ka offered and the girl hesitantly followed after her.

-scene change-

"So what's going on?" Ben asked as he arrived on the scene of the revolt, shocked at the massacre before his eyes. He had expected for the rebels to be well-fed, well-clothed idealists, but found a crowd of measly-looking rioters who showed the varying stages of some ravaging disease instead. How could the Jedi and the guards mow such people down? His hand moved to snatch the lightsaber on his belt, but he was hesitant to use the weapon. Already, he could sense disgust radiating from Rei.

"We need to put down this rebellion. Thank the Great Mother you're here." Rei forced a grin upon her face as she used the Force to silence the voices of the protesters. Finally, Ben activated his lightsaber with a snap hiss and met with a flood of pleads instantly.

"Don't be a traitor to us, Jedi!" one man stepped up and begged.

"Traitor? What's going on around here?" asked Ben, confused.

"You're one of us; don't side with them." the same man explained.

"Who're you to speak?" snickered one of the security officers.

"We're Jedi, so it's our job to mediate. Let's hear what you guys have to say." Ben put his lightsaber aside.

"They broke the law, so why would you want to hear what they want to say?" the same guard crossed her arms at her chest.

"Yes, we broke a very _unjust_ law," a young man added sarcastically. "Fight for us, Jedi, please!"

"What's your story, then?" Ben asked.

"We have orders to put down this revolt, so that's what we'll do," warned Rei.

"That's not the Jedi way, Master Ti." Ben argued back as he gestured for the men to speak. Something was getting out of hand because nobody was willing to compromise.

"We have our orders and I am the Master here." Her eyes burned with fury as she hissed the words. She was nothing short of annoyed at the outspokenness of the men around her.

"You see, Jedi, that's the problem. We were here to talk to the queen, but they wouldn't let us!" the spokesman of the rebels spoke again.

"What is your message, then? I'll be your herald," Ben offered. The Jedi had agreed to integrate themselves into the government and become extensions of their branches, but they were also taught from youth to mediate arguments instead of push for only one side.

Before any of the women could interfere, the man began to speak. "Someone put a curfew on us and we were just trying to go about our business when these girls started to arrest us." 

"You have spoken enough, male!" snarled one of the guards.

"Say that to me in front of the Queen Mother, lady!" the man challenged. Ben was shocked at the attitude of the woman.

"I suggest that you disband." Ben carefully arranged his words as he stepped between the security officers and the men.

"What are you, nuts? Don't be a traitor to our kind!" the man almost challenged Ben, who, by then, knew that they believed that men belonged on one side of the battlefield and women on the other.

"I'm not doing that," Ben replied quietly, "You all look like you need a break. It wouldn't be wise for you to keep fighting in your condition." Then, using the Force, he sent some of them a feeling of reassurance. He needed to know what was going on, but it would be foolish to ask questions in front of women who ranked higher than him. Then, when the hope became hesitation to leave the scene, Ben added, "Go."

"That is not the way we treat men here on Hapes," admonished the leader of the security force. As the last of the men left, Master Ti killed her blade. Her skin burned crimson with anger and embarrassment. She was to help her sister by winning the battle, but everything ended in a draw thanks to a man. No competent witch could allow for a mere man to defeat her.

"That's the way we treat ourselves on every planet. We hear each other out when things go wrong," Ben shot back with a grin before seeming to disappear toward the palace. When he was certain that he was out of the women's sight, he turned back and began to scour the city for dissatisfied males. He muttered to himself, "Kriff, every one of these people must be stubborn to the max."

Ben contemplated reporting his leave, but decided against it, for it was always easier for Skywalkers to ask forgiveness than to receive permission. He sighed, "Kriff the orders, scrap the chain of command until I find out what's going on. There's obviously more to the mess than meets the eye."


	4. Interlude: Ode to Tenel Ka

Title: Ode to Tenel Ka

Disclaimer: While I'd love to own Star Wars and be rich, I don't. Besides, if I did own that galaxy and its characters, Tenel Ka and Allana would have been in Betrayal.

Author: Moi

Characters: Tenel Ka, Allana, Jacen, OC

Notes: This can be a totally canon standalone, but ties in so heavily with the post LOTF AU titled Our Mother, Our Queen that it might turn up word for word in that fic. For those of you on I'm posting this as a chapter of the story for that reason.

She is our mother, our queen

Our woman, who gave up her dreams

She was a Jedi once

But she left it for what she must run

That's our government

She took the crown and went

To stop the nobles from

Killing all in this kingdom

She was also a warrior from Dathomir

Who carried a spirit that was rare

Tenel Ka was also the greatest wartime queen

Because she drove away the YV

She remained true to Dathomiri tradition

By allowing only her chosen

To help create the next heir

Whom she lost to a deed that was unfair

She handled the loss well

Despite that her life was hell

She served us out of necessity

And extended her hand to me

Alas, the illness had to come

To take away her freedom

She fought hard

But fell in this last war

I hope she died happy

After seeing Allana alive and on Hapes

And winning Jacen back

May her wise spirit come back

Rest well, Tenel Ka Djo, our mother, our queen, and may you forgive me for the pain that I've caused.. Adoptive daughter and regent Kala, spoken on behalf of the Hapan people


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Traitor!" someone hissed into Ben's ear as he strode down the city's streets, glancing around in hopes of recognizing someone from the riot. Ben wanted to respond by retaliating with an insult, but sighed, for he had an objective to accomplish. Out of curiosity, he threw a glance in the direction of the speaker but found nothing save traces of a shadow. Something did not smell right, but Ben continued down the street, his boots clicking a lonely, empty beat.

The Jedi Knight stopped in his tracks as he heard rumbles of thunder and muffled voices behind him.

"Let that Jedi in? Are you nuts? He works for them; that'll get us all killed!" one person screamed before his hidden companions silenced him. Ben shook his head in an attempt to forget the words as he continued.

"Wait!" One person emerged from the shadows and waved for Ben to stop.

"Get back here!" hissed one of the boy's invisible companions, but it was too late.

"Yes, sir?"

"You're a Jedi, aren't you?" asked the boy who rushed out to meet Ben.

"Yes. Do you know anything about a revolt that was moving towards the palace?" Ben decided to get straight to his point.

"No, I'm quite shocked to hear someone ask that," the boy said out loud. He then lowered his voice, "Yeah, things are pretty bad here. You're here to help us, right?"

"I guess."

The younger speaker wanted to reply, but he could only grin as the ring of a bell summoned him to a building. Several more boys emerged from the shadows and followed suit, with the last one waving a goodbye to Ben. "Don't be out at night!"

"What does he take me for, some kind of child?" Ben muttered as the boys disappeared behind an iron gate. The Jedi was about to leave when he decided to follow the teens, suspecting that the bell was some sort of school bell. If any place had people who could give him information, it would be a school. The Jedi narrowed his eyes to read a sign above the large gate.

iSOLARE'S SCHOOL FOR BOYS./i

Ben had guessed correctly.

"Your password, sir?" asked the gatekeeper as Ben was about to pass through.

"I'm a Jedi investigating a matter for the Queen Mother. She says that I may bypass all security," Ben lied.

"This is a private school. I don't see why she'd have any business sending her Jedi here. Assure her that our last reports were true and that we're meeting all standards."

"I'm pretty sure of that." Ben took a moment to savor the gatekeeper's surprise before continuing."I'm investigating a revolt that occurred in this city a few hours ago. Do you have any information?"

"Our librarians will give you the most up-to-date information possible, good Jedi. They will come for you immediately."

"Thank you for your hospitality," Ben almost stammered at the small man in the blue overalls.

-scene change-

"You Jedi allow for your males to go unmonitored?" a surprised guard asked Rei. 

"Sure. Why not?" shrugged the Jedi.

"We Hapans can't be trusted. The charm of the place has already seeped into him." The guard shook her head. 

"She's saying that we should make certain that the Jedi does indeed return to the palace. The manner in which he disbanded those rebels is too suspicious to be lightly taken." The youngest of the security officers clarified for her superior. She then tapped some sort of gadget on her wrist and commanded, "Activate all gate sentries and scan for Jedi Knight Ben Skywalker, passcode Open Seaweed."

"Acknowledged," replied the voice of one of Hapes' rare droids.

"Well, that should take care of our concerns, Commander. If he returns, we will be alerted." The young woman was about to thank the Jedi for her help when her commander interjected.

"Master Ti, would you mind if we borrow you in the Queen Mother's name for a few more hours? We've had much trouble lately; we would like for you to help us patrol this city." The senior officer of the blue-coated guards asked.

"Sure. Anything in the service of a clan-sister," grinned Rei.

"We can't thank you enough for helping us with our troublesome men. Here are the things we need your help on." The officer then gave Rei a datapad. The Jedi Master was disgusted to see that the Hapan women had trouble keeping their men in line, but she hid her feelings, for she had already agreed to do just about anything for a sister.

"Disperse, ladies," the leader of the local security force gave the signal to return to regular duties. 

-scene change-

"Thank you for the information, though I am here to investigate a rebellion," Ben grinned after the school's librarians lectured him for hours on Hapan history.

"I'm afraid there is no rebellion here, unless you bring it with you, Jedi."

"Then I seek news. The men of the city are rioting. I'm wondering if anything recent could cause discontent." 

"I'm sorry, Jedi, but there is nothing. However, to aid your search, I encourage you to stay the night," offered the librarian.

"Thanks, but the Queen Mother will be worried if I do not return soon enough and I've been out for hours already." 

"We insist," argued one of the assistants.

"Alright, but can you show me to the refresher first?" Ben winced.

"Sure thing, Jedi friend," the boy who aided the librarians grinned and led Ben down a crowded hallway. Much to Ben's surprise, the entire student population seemed to be setting camp and moving into the school for the night. The noisy chatter that assaulted Ben's ear diminished exponentially as the boys saw Ben making his way through the building, trying not to step on anything. The kids began to point and whisper.

When Ben closed the refresher door behind him, the sullen, eerily silent guide suddenly became sanguine and loquacious.

"We were lying when we told you that there's no news that we're not happy with. We're free to talk inside this refresher. No woman in her right mind would spy on us here."

"I see. So what exactly is going on? I've been getting hints but no real information."

"The royal guards are beating us up. Over there with the scar on his arm, that's Nikor. He went out to practice for track one morning and was beat up for being out to early," the boy from the school library pointed to a teen who was washing his hands. Ben immediately recognized that person as the boy who approached him in the afternoon and asked Ben if he was there to help the people.

"Boy am I glad to you see you, Jedi!" Nikor turned to face the commotion behind him, curious as to who did not know of the recent events.

"Is there anything more to this?"

"Old Ken's getting these guards back for all the times they've beaten us up. We'll all be best off if you help him. He's at our headquarters beneath the bookstore across the street."

"Thanks." Ben then headed for one of the stalls.

Hours later, the Jedi found himself leaning against a wall, unable to sleep and feeling guilty about staying instead of returning to the palace. He threw a glance up at the chronometer and decided that enough was enough. It was midnight by Hapan standards and he had already fulfilled his agreement by staying for a few hours. Ben silently stalked out of the school, careful not to awaken any of the sleeping students or meet the gaze of anyone who rose to use the refresher or buy snacks. His plan was to check himself into the palace and then find the person named Ken the next morning.

The capital city's streets bustled with nightlife, which was not surprising considering the city's size, and the bookstore that Nikor had described sat in a shady corner across from the school. Ben reached into the Force to probe for passageways and secret rooms, but found warnings instead. It was as if something was trying to hunt him down. Instinctively, the Jedi wrapped his fingers around the hilt of the lightsaber at his waist and sauntered silently toward the palace that sat at one of the city's two foci.

The walk was uneventful until Ben arrived at the intersection of the second circle and Arabanth (Street), where a female's shout pierced through the nightly bustle. Someone shined a turbo-powered light on Ben's face and the Jedi turned to see a beautiful woman wearing a uniform of sorts. Due to the intensity of the light shined in his eyes, the red-haired Jedi could not make out any of the woman's features, though he could tell that she had at least two accomplices.

"Sir, do you have an escort?" the woman approached him and asked.

"No." Ben realized that he made his mistake in telling the truth because his being stopped probably had something to do with the mysterious goings-on around the city, but it was too late to take anything back. 

"I'm sorry, sir, but by royal orders, you are now under arrest for breaking curfew. Please put your hands up," ordered the security officer.

"I'm sure this is just a misunderstanding. You see, I'm a Jedi on business from the Queen Mother."

"Nice one, mister. She'd have provided you with an escort if you really were one of her Jedi cohorts.

"But I am Jedi Knight Ben Skywalker, returning to the palace to resume patrol." Ben wanted to mind trick the women into letting him go, but found their minds too strong to be swayed.

"I'm afraid I'll still have to arrest you since you have no escort, mister, but I'm sure the Queen Mother will grand you pardon if you really are one of her guests."

"What, we're going to bypass the warning?" asked one of the lackeys at the woman's side.

"He's an adult. Warnings are for boys. Besides, this may be the rogue Jedi we're looking for," replied the leader. By that time, Ben was able to get such a good view of the women that he recognized the uniforms as those of Royal Security officers.

"Sir, you are under arrest. Put your hands in the air." The third security officer, the one on the left, was the last to speak and first to upholster her blaster, pointing it at Ben's head. The other two soon followed suit and feeling threatened, Ben almost activated his lightsaber. Only reminding himself that he was an emissary of peace prevented the Jedi from retaliating.

-scene change-

"Qu-queen Mother!" stuttered the stunned security chief as Tenel Ka entered her office with Allana.

"What of the rebellion?" Tenel Ka cut straight to the point.

"We quashed it in a minute. Hapes is safe again, Queen Mother," replied the officer.

"The truth." The Queen Mother glared, seeing right through the obvious lie with the Force. Something was amiss and she was not going to tolerate lies from her servants.

"Alright, alright. We had it under control until your Jedi boy came and disbanded the rebels. Then he disappeared," gulped the security chief.

"You will speak of Ben Skywalker with respect, " ordered Tenel Ka while Allana gasped at the obvious anti-Jedi sentiment.

"Yes, my queen. I suppose you want to see the Holo-recordings," sighed the officer. Tenel Ka simply nodded. This time, the officer complied quickly and the three watched together as Ben arrived on the scene and was greeted with a quick shout of 'traitor'. Rei Ti's image flashed across the viewers' eyes as the woman spoke of following orders as a defense against Ben's statement about the Jedi way.

i"You see, Jedi, that's the problem. We were here to talk to the queen…"/i The voice trailed off as the recording reached its end. Tenel Ka narrowed her eyes as she committed the face of the man who spoke to Ben to her memory. If the revolt happened because the men were barred from seeing her, then there was something going on that her nobles did not want her to know about.

"You are free to come with me, Lady Lan," declared Tenel Ka as she began to head out of the palace. She wanted to know if she had truly found Allana, but her job as Queen came before her maternal instincts.

"But Queen Mother, your condition…" the security chief began.

"Will not be a problem." Tenel Ka finished.

"Yes, Majesty," the guard bowed her head and conceded.

"It must be the kriffing curfew," Allana muttered as she digested the information, not aware of the stern stares of Tenel Ka and the officer, who was shocked to hear a swear word in her office. Allana blushed in shame before apologizing. "I mean it must have to do with that curfew that I was told about."

"Curfew?" asked Tenel Ka.

"I originally came to inquire about a curfew that Lord Nikor was unfairly beaten for." Allana did her best to pretend to be the noblewoman that she disguised herself as in an attempt to cover up for her unintentional slip of tongue. She had the feeling that soon, her lie would fall apart and be her undoing.

"What kind of curfew, Lady Lan?" asked Tenel Ka. Allana contemplated telling the Queen Mother about the whole encounter with Nikor, but she kept silent despite all of the instincts that screamed for her to trust the redheaded queen. Logic dictated that the full truth was to come out at a later time, when Tenel Ka's credibility would be fully proven.

iWhy be so logical now, when you've been so rash in sneaking off of Ossus/i asked a voice in Allana's head. The girl faked a gesture of thoughtfulness as she argued back at the blunt and obvious part of her mind. Hapes was a world where subtlety was more of a queen than Tenel Ka and she needed to keep her cover of lies or else she might be expelled from the Jedi Order. Still, if she did not reveal anything immediately, she would eventually be exposed for the disobedient apprentice that she was and expelled anyway. Allana then wondered why she was thinking of expulsion from the order that she never felt she belonged in would be such a bad thing. The fourteen-year-old blonde girl was utterly confused.

The Jedi apprentice finally answered as adamantly as she could, "One that lasts from sunset to sunrise and applies to only men."

The Hapan guard hissed and narrowed her fiery eyes as she threw a bone-chilling glare at Allana before regaining composure. Tenel Ka pretended not to notice as she turned to leave.

"Thank you for your service," said Tenel Ka almost emotionlessly as Allana followed behind the queen. Tenel Ka shook violently as the coughs that she had suppressed for the duration of the visit to her security chief finally made their way to her throat.

"Queen Mother…" Allana began.

"I am fine. I will speak with Lord Nikor. You are free to accompany me."

iUh-oh. Trouble. He could tell her everything about me being a runaway apprentice, not that Lan isn't obvious already./i Allana's mind raced for excuses like an ant in a boiler, but she found nothing coherent and used the Force to suppress an embarrassed blush. The Queen Mother seemed so nice and carried the presence of a trustworthy figure, unlike most of the Hapans. It didn't matter what Allana did since she would most likely be exposed either way, so her only choice was to tell at least some truth.

Allana finally realized that Tenel Ka did not require her presence as a sidekick, so she declined the offer and forced herself to hide the relief. "Thank you, Queen Mother, but I have to return to my other duties, as I've already delivered my message."

"You are uneasy, Lady Lan. Something troubles you," Tenel Ka pointed out between wheezes.

"Only a friend's pain and suffering. Nothing that I cannot handle," replied Allana quickly. Luckily, her mental shields were still as impenetrable as ever.

"May the Force be with you, then." Tenel Ka bade Allana luck and then disappeared down one of the palace's many corridors, forcing her legs to support the ailing body. As some hard, fashionable slippers clicked against the marble floor, Allana ducked into a closet to avoid being seen. There was a swoosh of expensive robes made of rare, Hapan silk and then a shrill chuckle.

"So you've arrested the Jedi for breaking the curfew? Good job," congratulated one voice after Allana heard around ten footsteps. "This will be a great victory for the Ni'Korish."

iJedi? Arrested? Kriffing Force! What's going on/iAllana racked her brain for answers and recalled her history lessons on the Ni'Korish, a famously anti-Jedi group of Hapans. If they were talking about that group and an arrested Jedi, then disaster was looming right over Grand Master Solo's head. 

"Right, but I still have to present him to the Queen Mother first," sighed a second voice.

"Sorry, but the Queen Mother is ill," the first woman replied in a mournful tone.

"I mean the regent."

"She's on Maires. I will gladly handle these matters for my niece. Which Jedi did you arrest?" 

"Jedi Knight Skywalker, Princess Alyssia."

iI'd better warn Isolder./i Sweat raced down Allana's forehead, soaking her white-blonde curls as she desperately prayed for the two speakers to leave. She sighed in relief when she finally did hear the long awaited, fading footsteps, but the moment was short-lived since she sensed a Jedi presence only a few seconds later. The person was heading in the apprentice's direction, so the desperate girl pulled her presence in as quickly as she could and her heart began to race all over again.

-scene change-

Tenel Ka was not normally one to draw on the Force for support, but she needed to make her way to the store that Nikor's family owned and she knew her body well enough to know that she could not go unaided. One of the many advantages to having a regent and being ill was that she could go unguarded. The warrior queen could feel the Force burning through her ailing body, but she did not care as she strode toward the door that marked the clothing store. According to her memory, Nikor carried the title of 'Lord' because his grandfather was the illegitimate son of one of Ni'Korish's distant cousins.

Tenel Ka approached the woman behind the counter when she entered the store. "I wish to speak with Lord Nikor."

"Queen Mother, I'm surprised that you'd personally come to speak with my son. I utterly apologize for his law-breaking," sighed the woman. 

"There is no need to apologize, milady. I am here to speak with your son."

The woman opened her mouth to question the Queen Mother's wish, but she knew better and punched in the comm. code of Solare's School for Boys. A few minutes later, Nikor arrived with an eager crowd behind him and an escort.

"You wished to speak with me, my queen?" bowed the boy.

"Yes, alone." Tenel Ka led the teen outside the store. When the crowd stepped back, she continued, "I apologize for the damage that you suffered from this curfew. This is not my law. How did it become instated as such?'

"Queen Mother, you won't like what I'm about to say." The boy's voice was fraught with fear. 

"That is fine, as long as you are honest," assured Tenel Ka.

"It's Princess Kala's law. No male can be outside between sunset and sunrise without a woman or a droid."

"I see." Tenel Ka reluctantly accepted the grim fact; as much as she did not want to believe that she raised Kala better, she sensed nothing but honesty emanating from the boy's mind and mouth. "I…" She never finished the sentence, as she collapsed onto the stone beneath her feet. The panicked people rushed to her side as one of them punched in the frequency of the Palace Guard.

"The Queen Mother, she's fainted!"

-scene change-

On Corellia, Valin Horn watched the HoloNews in shock as Ben Skywalker was marched down the halls of the Hapan palace in handcuffs. How could the Queen Mother allow for something like that, especially when she herself was a Jedi?

-scene change-

On Ossus, two excited apprentices, a twi'lek and a Bothan, gawked at a small gadget.

"You say you got the Hapan frequencies?" asked the twi'lek, Riko.

"Yup. Top secret stuff, too," replied the Bothan as he tinkered with the box-like toy. A Holo flickered on.

i"Rather than enforce the law for the Queen's chosen heir, that Jedi scum would much rather break it! We cannot allow such disrespect for the people!" a veiled woman spoke from a podium inside a large, elegant building built for political activists.

"Down with the Jedi!" the people in the HoloNews roared in response.

"Our Queen Mother left the Jedi Order for us, the people of Hapes! However, only we can fully care for ourselves and show our proper respect for Queen Mother Djo and drive out these treacherous Jedi. Do you agree?" continued the gaunt, veiled woman.

"Yes!" shouted the majority. 

"Death to the Jedi!"/i

"Uh-oh. Not good for Master Rei," Riko shook his tentacled head. "I'd better get Lan."

-scene change-

Tenel Ka awakened groggily to the sound of worried whispered as one of her guards wheeled her toward her private chambers.

"I can't believe it! Jedi Skywalker just got arrested for breaking the curfew!" whispered one excited medic.

"I can. Grand Master Solo's making a public apology right now! In fact, he's coming in!" replied another person.

"Release and pardon Jedi Skywalker." Tenel Ka groaned the few words out despite the thirst that sizzled in her cracked throat. She wanted to send a Dathomiri curse at the disease.

"But Queen Mother!"

"Pardon and release him," the warrior queen insisted between labored breaths. 

"Yes, Majesty."

End of Chapter 4


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The Chief of the Galactic Alliance stared at the HoloNews in disbelief as she digested the information. The Jedi had gone too far in provoking the guards to arrest him. And of all the Jedi, it had to be Ben Skywalker, who was a full knight as well as the founder's son. The alien woman slapped a sweaty palm to her forest green forehead. If the Jedi were embarrassing the Alliance, then they needed to leave. Still, she could not rashly dismiss more than a thousand people, or even appear to. However, she could solve a portion of the problem by simply authorizing a cut in their funds. 

"Chief?" asked one of the confused aides.

"Always attack the money stash. That's where it never fails to hurt," the woman chuckled to herself.

-scene change-

Kala instinctively took a deep breath as the escort shuttle plunged into the gloomy, Mairan oceans, even though she knew that her oxygen mask and her pressure suits would protect her from the effects of submersion. The sky was… it was as gray as her mother's skin in the last few days. The Mairan people gathered inside a dome on the ocean floor, some having never seen a human outside the Holos before. The silver shuttle landed inside the dome with a hiss and five squid-like figures stepped out from the circle of awed onlookers to greet the princess and the senator.

"These are the honored ladies of Maires," introduced Senator Vin.

Ladies? The wet, slimy sea-creatures thoroughly repulsed the girl who spent most of her life in a sparkling palace fraught with nothing but humans, even though Tenel Ka had tried to instill the concept of tolerance in the young woman. She forced the grimaces off of her face as she shook each damp, ooze-colored tentacle.

"Welcome to Maires, Queen Mother," one of the creatures, a supposed female, gave Kala a sloppy, toothy grin. A lump rose in the young human's throat as she attempted to correct the Mairan woman---the planetary leader, if she remembered correctly. She was barely a princess, let alone Queen Mother and she did not deserve the title. Was that a mark of approval from the people? It wasn't right to take things from her mother, and yet there she was, accepting a title that Tenel Ka did not yet pass to her. i_Push your mother's condition to the back of your mind and think, Kala._ /iThe girl could not take her own advice. It was dangerous for a Hapan princess to merely follow along with strange plots, but what else could she do when her mind was flooded with a combination of grief and flattery, amongst other emotions? If only she had the Force to guide her.

The Mairan dignitaries were mostly female and all invariably wore Hapan banners. The person in the lead bore the sixty-three-starred flag with the gold star for Hapes at its center and a blue star for Maires off to the side. Kala smiled at the show of loyalty. Something rustled behind Kala, but the noise left as soon as it came and the princess paid it no heed. She was going to speak with the planetary leader and then abruptly return to Hapes.

After an indeterminately long procession, Kala found herself inside a moist, slimy dining hall. A grayish liquid lined each seat and something that looked like vomit saturated the table surfaces. Still, she had to grin to show her appreciation. 

"Queen Mother, I hope you found our facilities more than satisfactory," the apparent leader of the Mairan ladies spoke in her oily, accented voice. Kala threw a glance over her shoulder and noticed that Senator Vin was nowhere in sight. Kala opened her mouth to correct the tentacled woman, but no words came. She stifled a tear as she mentally played her apology to her mother for stealing the priceless title.

-scene change-

"Queen Mother, I'm sorry," Ben mumbled as the redheaded woman gestured for him to follow her out of the detention center.

"Do not be, Jedi Skywalker. You are not at fault," Tenel Ka replied curtly. "I did not authorize this curfew and you were brave to fight it."

"Thank you, Queen Mother. So am I pardoned?" asked Ben.

"Of course, Jedi Skywalker," replied Tenel Ka. "However, I wish for a favor in return."

"Yes, Queen Mother?"

"Speak with the men of the city. Tell me what you find."

"As you command, my queen," Ben's eyes sparkled as he headed immediately for the bookstore, taking the most convoluted path that he could find. Even though it was legal for men to be out during the day, it was not a good idea to make it easy for the guards to follow him. There were no guards within a one-block radius. Sweat dripped from his Jedi robes as he knocked on the transparisteel door.

The man who answered appeared to be middle-aged at first, but Ben reached out into the Force and found decades of wisdom behind those eyes. 

"So the acting Queen Mother sent her Jedi to inspect this little store? Come on in!" coughed the old man.

Ben swept his gaze through the room before stepping in. The place was ill-lit and run-down, with insects crawling all over the dusty combination of traditional Hapan books and the newer datapads. One of the shelves creaked, sending a cloud of dust into the air. As soon as the door closed, Ben inquired, "Where may I find Ken?"

"I am Ken, Jedi helper, and you've come just in time. Follow me if you wish to fight alongside your kind."

i_Fight alongside these men? They're here to start a Rebellion!/i_ Ben then remembered Tenel Ka's orders to report matters to her. He couldn't just stand by and let those men riot through the city, but if he told Tenel Ka, he'd be betraying the trust of the boys he had promised to help. No, his only option was to fight alongside those men for the moment, for it was always easier to ask forgiveness than permission, according to Aunt Leia. He'd just have to ask for the Queen Mother's forgiveness later.

The man named Ken pressed a button on one of the datapads and the wall slid apart to reveal a turbolift door. As soon as the men stepped in, the lift descended. 

"This is unacceptable! We were waiting outside the hospitals because we were sick! Those guards had no right to beat our people up, no matter their excuses and lame laws!" Ben heard the muffled shout through the turbolift doors. Sickness? Perhaps that was worth reporting to the Queen Mother, once she forgave him for helping the insurgent men. i_But why even ask for forgiveness when her guards are the ones who locked me up?_ /iBen wondered.

The turbolift doors hissed open again to reveal an artificially-lit basement with a square table in the center. The lone occupant of the room was obviously Hapan, but his beauty was far from perfect, his face marred from years of hardship.

"This is not the Jedi Allana that Nikor described. So the Queen Mother's Jedi are on our side after all."

"No, I am Jedi Knight Ben Skywalker," he replied simply. _Jedi Allana? Jacen was quite jealous when Master Ti took that Allana kid before he could._

"I see. Sorry about that." _I was under the impression that our original princess returned from the dead to help us in our greatest time of need._ Ben sensed the sarcastic thought from the speaker. "Anyhow, Jedi Skywalker, welcome to Hapes. We appreciate your help."

"Glad I could help," Ben smiled wildly as the two men shook hands, "So what's the plan?"

"This is a three-dimensional map of the city," the man who waited for Ken in the basement pressed a hidden button on the square table, which suddenly began to project a hologram. "These are the computer terminals."

Several points along the city's elliptical streets flashed red.

The speaker continued, "The palace gates are programmed to lock between midnight and dawn. Our men have developed a virus to keep them unlocked. Your job, Jedi, is to distract everyone for the duration of the night. We need to get that Kala girl alone."

Ben paled at the mention of Princess Kala's name, but held his tongue. He had practically aligned himself with the Hapan men, which meant that he had to do as they asked.

-scene change-

Allana whimpered as the Jedi stopped before the door to the closet that she hid in and waved it open. She had learned the basics to the art of Force-projection, but that was most likely not enough.

It was definitely not enough to fool Jacen Solo, the last Jedi whom Allana wanted to see, perhaps aside from her own Master.

"Apprentice Allana."

The girl clumsily attempted to move, but only succeeded in bringing the contents of the closet down upon her head. 

Master Solo patiently levitated the mass item by item off of the teenaged girl before finally helping the feeble apprentice up. 

"This is a dangerous place, especially for you, Allana." The Jedi Master's voice was surprisingly soft. "I will arrange for you to be transported back to Ossus very soon."

i_More dangerous for you than it is for me._ /iAllana almost snorted. 

"I am Lady Lan, but thank you for helping me." Allana had contemplated spilling the truth, but decided to push her lie further, even though her audience this time was a Jedi Master. "You quite surprised me, Master Solo."

"Please, don't push it, Allana," pleaded Jacen. The reaction surprised the blonde girl, who had expected for the Grand Master to be angry. Instead, he sounded as if he cared about her. Still, Allana had business on Hapes now that she'd collected some information from the Queen Mother's enemies. 

"Master Solo, I'm not sure what you're talking about, but thank you for the kindness. Now, I must complete my duty to the royal family." Allana turned and strode away in a random direction. Jacen's first reaction was to follow after his daughter, but stopped. Her words about responsibility to the royal family, the family that she was unknowingly born into, carried the stench of truth. Besides, as much as he wished to protect his daughter, it was more advantageous for him to have an anonymous agent disguised as a petty noble, especially if the work would be valuable training for this apprentice. Allana was fortunate to have inherited more than half of her looks from the Hapans.

"Force be with you, Allana, and even if it isn't, I will watch over you," Jacen swore as he took a path parallel to the young woman's, careful to keep her in sight without being noticed.

-scene change-

Hours passed for Allana, but there was still no sight of Prince Isolder. She had to talk to him about Jedi Skywalker. Her pulse quickened as glistening drops of sweat threatened to drop to the floor and mar the rare marble that composed it.

"Lady Lan, are you lost?" 

Allana spun around to see the man she had been looking for standing a few meters in front of her.

"No, I merely wished to inform you that Princess Alyssia has arrested Jedi Skywalker." 

"I see. Then he will be no trouble," noted the aging prince, who apparently knew more about Ben's arrest than Allana did. She needed time to sort through things. Time alone.

"Your Highness?"

"Yes, Lady Lan?" asked the puzzled prince. 

"Which way is the refresher?" The best option, Allana decided, was to feign sickness. Isolder, in response, gave her the directions that she eagerly followed. Upon entering one of the stalls, Allana found herself automatically locked in. i_Kriff it!_ /i

"Does anybody here have a blaster?" asked a hoarse voice from one of the shower stalls. Allana's eyes bounced from one navy blue wall to another and the girl realized that Isolder had shown her to the Royal Guards' locker room. The lightsaber stood a chance of melting the locks, but she could not simply reveal herself as a Jedi who was not supposed to be on Hapes, especially after that near miss with Grand Master Solo. No, instead, she would have to present herself as an ordinary, non-Force sensitive girl and await rescue. Perhaps, to entertain herself, she could change her appearance again. Allana grinned as she freed a pair of scissors from her belt and cut away at her tresses. Maybe a radical change in hairstyle and color meant that not even Grand Master Solo could catch her the next time and it didn't hurt to ditch the Lady Lan identity.

-scene change-

Rei Ti, who had been resting in her quarters, tried to purge her latest snack from her systems, but it was no use. Whoever sprayed it with sleeping powder had done a good job of it. She tried to pound the arm of the chair in her quarters in frustration, but was too drowsy. Within seconds, the Jedi Master was fast asleep.

-scene change-

"Just one Queen Mother, Jacen, and a few guards left to go," Ben grinned to himself as he went through the checklist of people to deactivate before Princess Kala returned. He had an hour left.

"Jedi Skywalker!" Ben spun around to see Isolder. Ben's gaze narrowed, for the prince had to go as well.

"Yes, Prince Isolder?" 

"The Queen Mother demands your presence in her outer chambers. Our situation is very dire," reported the prince.

"How so?" Ben pretended not to know as the guilt washed over his body. At least he could shut off the Force's taunts.

"Most of the Jedi and guards have disappeared completely," replied the prince.

i_Good_./i Ben merely nodded thoughtfully, "I'm on my way, then. Thanks for the notice."

"Always a pleasure to help a Jedi." The prince's smile was somewhat cocky, unlike Ben's somewhat nervous one. This time, it was Jedi versus Jedi and his targets would not be as easy as the knights or the careless Master Ti. At least Isolder was a piece of cake. Now, Ben just needed to ask a few Hapan boys to distract the prince while he somehow neutralized Jacen and Tenel Ka.

-scene change- 

The redheaded Ben Skywalker continued to sweat as he sensed that Jacen had arrived in Tenel Ka's quarters ahead of time and was at least as nervous as he was. Did Jacen's unease have anything to do with those echoes that Ben heard, or was Ben hearing things? 

"You are the only remaining Jedi Knight. Come in, Jedi Skywalker." Ben heard Tenel Ka's muffled voice through the closed door. He could not disobey, could he? His original mission, was, after all, to deliver information to Tenel Ka. How would she take to it if he waited to do it until after the men attempted to assassinate her daughter? Could he allow for the Queen Mother and his former Master to see him that nervous?

Slowly, Ben grinned and sauntered into the chambers, double-checking his mental shields as he took his first steps. The Jedi Knight gulped in surprise when what seemed to be a long-suppressed memory.

Flashback

Ben saw himself in the Queen Mother's drawing room, the room just behind that door, only that he was in his eight-year-old body and Jacen was there with him. Compared to its current splendor, the room looked empty and smelled as if someone just had a snack, but the Kamarian chandelier still hung just a few meters above the octagonal table that stood proudly at the center of the room.

"It's creepy in here." Ben heard his younger self say. He added mentally, not that the younger self would hear.i _Just as it is now._ /i

"You noticed. Good," replied Jacen, who was Ben's Master at the time. He then pushed it farther by asking, "What else do you feel?"

"Two people. I think one's a kid," observed the boy.

End of Flashback.

"Why didn't I remember this until now?" Ben silently asked himself before probing deeper into his mind, in hopes of digging up further memories of that visit. He had the feeling that there was something important about his first forgotten trip to Hapes.

Instead, he got Jacen's voice.

i_The Queen Mother invited us._

_But why? Master, why did she invite us? What was her reason?_ /iBen tried to force more from his mind, more than his cousin's oversimplified, two-decade-old answer.

Flashback

Ben found himself in the drawing room again, only that this time, he was alone with some deactivated droid. Oh yes, he remembered now. He was the one who tripped the switch, thinking that Jacen had ordered him to do so.

"Life will be dangerous enough for our daughter without my nobles knowing you are the father." The voice belonged to Tenel Ka. The redheaded Ben wasted no time in deducing that Jacen had gone into the interior chambers, which meant that his cousin was the father of the lost princess.

Apparently, his younger self came to the same conclusion and subsequently burst into the interior chambers. "You're a father? Astral!"

End of Flashback 

Flashback

The eight-year-old Ben sat before the Holo-cube, browsing through the various HoloNet frequencies as he waited for his parents to return from their current mission until he found a news show of sorts.

"The Queen Mother Tenel Ka Djo has interrupted her mourning for her daughter, Princess Allana, when she took in a little girl. Will this Kala child be the next heir? Only time will tell," said the supermodel-thin woman with the short, chocolate curls.

"Boring," the red-haired child muttered before changing to a different frequency.

End of Flashback

More flashes came, only that this time, he was talking to Gorog. i_Gorog. Yes, that's the name! She's the best friend that I forgot!_ /iHe remembered attacking the Queen Mother and the infant and caught a flash of Jacen before it all went blank.

It all made sense now. Jacen had always been more interested in that Allana girl than him, even after Master Ti chose her as an apprentice because that girl was the Hapan Queen's long-lost biological daughter and Jacen Solo was her father. Those two must have been lovers at some point, which would have explained why Tenel Ka had never married. And after that, Jacen must have wiped Ben's memory.

"Jedi Skywalker?" the concerned voice of Tenel Ka snapped Ben out of his train of thought.

"Yes, my queen?" Ben did his best to pretend that nothing was wrong as he sank into one of the luxurious chairs that wore the traditional, blue silk covers.

"Do you need to use the refresher?" He could not fool Tenel Ka, who, even without being able to read his mind, could tell that he was not comfortable.

"Yeah, I'll be right back." With that, Ben excused himself from the royal chambers before Tenel Ka could give him directions and then gently closed the door behind him. That Queen Mother had given him a brilliant excuse to leave. The young Jedi Knight used the Force to probe the lock until he became familiar with its entire three-dimensional structure. For a royal suite, the place's lock was ridiculously simple; every mechanism traced back to a single electromagnet and for the moment, that was a weakness. Ben grinned as he forced electricity through the small rod of magnetic metal and then moved it slightly to permanently lock Jacen and Tenel Ka in. The lock was fragile enough that it could all look like an accident, but it was highly unlikely for the Queen Mother and her lover to fall for the obvious. Still, it was one thing to disable Jacen Solo out of necessity, but it was pure, sweet revenge to entrap him with his former lover and face her inevitable wrath over whatever had happened in order for their daughter to end up a mere Jedi apprentice on Ossus.

Ben stepped into the moonlight that poured through the palace's numerous windows and tapped the transparisteel in a seemingly random manner, sending two short ones with his fingernails and then a long one with the fleshy tip. His face was as pale as the light that shone upon it, unlike the still-soaked Jedi robes.

-scene change-

Although Princess Kala did not have the Force, she could tell that something was amiss the minute she descended the landing ramp. The royal docking bay was strangely empty, despite that most crafts rested at night, just like their owners and pilots. What few that remained were arranged in a near-circle around the spot reserved for Kala's transport, as if they hid something. Several of the shadows shifted, but Kala could not tell the details due to her inherently poor night vision. It was the price that the Hapan humans paid in exchange for their ethereal beauty.

"Teach that princess a lesson!" shouted a voice from somewhere behind Princess Kala. She caught a sliver of a metallic glint and heard a whooshing sound, but before she could react, she saw one of Senator Vin's Mairan warriors twitch and the next thing she knew, one of the planet's top-notch warriors was howling in pain as he bled from one of his largest tentacles. A sudden fear gripped the princess's heart, freezing her in her tracks until one of the remaining bodyguards grabbed her arm and attempted to drag her numb body up the ramp into the safety of the shuttle, only to find the pathway blocked.

"Come with us. We've something to show you, princess."

"Nobody speaks to me this way!" Kala had not realized it until now, but between having an unseen speaker call her princess and having a bunch of Mairans don upon her the undeserved title of Queen Mother, she'd take Queen Mother any day. Then, with a fierce determination, she brought up her thick, left leg to kick the speaker in the stomach, only to trip over her own dress and land in a heap at the foot of the ramp. By the time she untangled herself and was back on her feet, however, she saw that all eight of her guards had their tentacles busy combating men of all sizes and shapes.

Korut was small for a Mairan, but he was still much larger than the average human male. He was in his last year of internship at the Mairan Martial Academy and he had received such a prestigious position in the Mairan Royal Guard out of family tradition. Physically, he was unattractive and as un-athletic as a warrior could be, but he had trained hard to fulfill his family's tradition of serving as Second Guard. His mother was a minor noble and her family was expected to send one member into the Mairan Royal Guard every generation, or fifty years, for a period of four years.

Korut had learned to wish for only two things in life. The first was the expected 'to honor his family and defend first the Hapan Monarchy and then the Mairan planetary leaders', but the second dream, the one that truly mattered to the young, tentacled man, was to survive those grueling years as the warrior that he never wished to be and pursue his passion in music. But fate, or perhaps the Force, had dealt him a different hand, for the pale, young amphibian watched in horror as the local men slew his compatriots one by one as they each ran to Princess Kala's defense. It couldn't be.

The mob dashed over the pile of bodies that had accumulated as they slew the Mairan bodyguards and charged for the princess. Korut had to stop them. He ran, despite his painfully dry skin, and dove at the princess, pushing her out of harm's way just as he landed with a thump on the hard floor.

"Why do you fall to defend that usurper, traitor?" demanded a sickly-looking man before sinking something sharp into the Mairan's abdomen. Several others then followed suit and megavolts of pain repeatedly flashed through the alien like lightning, causing him to groan weakly. Korut Aurum was just a simple, quiet boy trying to live his life. He just wanted to be allowed to play his humble little flute. What did he do to deserve the title of 'traitor'?

"Why?" Korut groaned before passing out, leaving Princess Kala undefended.

-scene change- 

Ken lay spread-eagle on the ventilation tube just below the docking bay's ceiling, safely away from the violent attempt to retrieve Princess Kala, as he watched the action below. The other men were there, but where was Ben Skywalker? It didn't matter, for all of those Mairan monsters had fallen. However, before he could crawl over to the other side of the wall in the direction that Ben was supposed to be coming from, he spotted the golden-haired Princess Kala darting towards some sort of console.

"Guards…" the princess seemed to wait until her patience wore thin. "Guards, answer me! I'm under attack, docking bay 508!"

The middle-aged man forced himself to the other side of the wall that separated docking bay from palace and looked around for guards before lightly tapping the metal beneath him to get Ben's attention. It worked.

"Stop those guards!"

In response, Skywalker nodded and then turned his face away from Ken's view, as if contemplating something shameful.


End file.
